If I am being really honest, I don’t love New Year’s resolutions. I am such a big checklist person and many of my resolutions sit there, unchecked, for a majority of the year. It drives me slightly crazy, and yet, I still make a list. Love them or hate them, the season for resolutions is upon us.

I asked our year-round team to share some of their resolutions. Here were the 5 most common responses:

1. Be more active, spend more time in nature
2. Grow in my faith
      a. grow in spending more time with the Bible
      b. read the Bible before looking at my phone
3. Decrease screen time
4. Deepen friendships
5. Read non-fiction or write at least one hour per day

A major aspect of my job is recruiting camp staff, and as a result I spend time thinking about what makes working at camp such an irreplaceable experience. When I considered the resolutions that our year-round team had in common, I realized that the natural benefits of working at a summer camp line up with so many of these resolutions! Sound too good to be true? Let me break it down for you.

  1. Camp is always an active place! From reveille to taps, counselors are playing games, leading activities, and running around with campers! If you want to take it to the next level, you can even join in on our fitness activity.
  2.  One of our core values as an organization is to develop staff. We do this not only through professional certifications and thoughtful leadership but also through spiritual development. We want staff to grow spiritually just as much as our campers are growing.
  3. This past year, everyone had to spend much more time on screens than usual. Another benefit of a summer at camp is getting to be completely unplugged! Counselors have access to technology on their designated time off but that is it! Putting down the phone and being fully present for an entire summer is a wonderful, and increasingly necessary feeling.
  4. After a year of social distancing and quarantining, we all need to make some new friends! Camp creates a tight knit community of like-minded staff who are working alongside each other towards a common goal. This means solid friendships, starting from day 1. Making friends at camp is a benefit every summer, but especially so in 2021.
  5. How often do you schedule out an hour during the day to read or write? At camp, you need time to recharge (and so do campers!). Rest hour gives you time to write a letter, read a book, or fit in a quick nap!

If you want to actually accomplish your resolutions this year (and experience countless other benefits)work at camp!  Come and change not only your habits, but your entire life.

Happy Camping,

Andrea
Assistant Director